International Experts Disagree with SA EPA Waterloo Noise Study

International experts Schomer, Hessler, Walker and Hansen disagree with the South Australian EPA Waterloo Wind Farm Noise Study

Three of the acousticians who collaborated on the Shirley Wisconsin Study: Dr Paul Schomer, Dr George Hessler and Dr Bruce Walker, plus Emeritus Professor Colin Hansen find serious flaws in the methodology and conclusions reached by the recent SA EPA Noise Study.

Schomer, Hessler and Walker write:

“The EPA measurement program at Waterloo showed similar results as at Shirley that there is a measurable low level of infrasound that reaches a maximum level around the blade passing frequency (BPF) and harmonics of the wind turbines.

 “At these very low and slow frequencies and periods, any such sound pressure would be perceived, if at all, as a series of pulses, not as ordinary noise.”

 “Research below 4 Hz is sparse and variances between the few researchers reach 20 dB. So any comparison of wind farm infrasound to published hearing thresholds is completely meaningless.

“The final EPA report also presents guidelines for low frequency noise found in the literature that are totally invalid in the author’s opinion for accessing actual wind turbine immissions.”

Download the Dr Hessler’s comments →

Read Dr Paul Schomer’s endorsement of Hessler’s comments →

Read comments by Dr Walker →

Read an appraisal by Emeritus Professor Colin Hansen →